Freida is my favourite, says Roberto Cavalli

He is known for his indulgent play with animal prints, leather and denim, but many don’t know that he’s also smitten by something else — Indian women.

Veteran Italian designer Roberto Cavalli, 72, tells us that he loves the beautiful women from this country. “I think Indian women are extremely beautiful, especially their black eyes, they inspire me. Very sexy!” But his favourite? “Freida Pinto (left) is unbelievably gorgeous. I saw Slumdog Millionaire and it’s one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen, and I saw it at least four to five times.”

Cavalli, with daughter Christiana, will be in Delhi today to launch the flagship store of the label at Emporio mall, Vasant Kunj. He will also launch a cafe along with the store. “I have also seen the film Gandhi. As a man, he was unbelievable and I admire his life story,” Cavalli added.

When we reminded him of the controversy that ensued after he designed bikinis with images of Indian deities a few years ago and it outraged Hindu groups, he said, “We did not mean to do anything demeaning. It’s just that we didn’t know, sometimes we can also be ignorant.”

And his advise for new designers? “Don’t bother copying the work of others. Always aspire to create something fresh and new, to have a novel idea.”

When we asked him about his Delhi trip, the designer, who is being bought to the country by Infinite Luxury Brands said “I don’t know how much time business will take in Delhi, but I do want to explore the beautiful country more. And, I can tell you that we also plan to open another store in Bombay.”